UNIFORM, MILITARY

Description: GREEN-BROWN WOOL OFFICER'S JACKET AND SWASTIKA AND EAGLE CAP BADGE - 2 PIECES. GREEN, BROWN. GREEN WOOL BLEND GERMAN OFFICER'S JACKET (8). 1.8 CM SILVER METAL FRONT BUTTON CLOSURE-STAMPED ON BUTTON BACK "A EXTRA FEIN". 2 BREAST AND 2 HIP POCKETS, ALL WITH BUTTON DOWN FLAPS, BREAST FLAPS ALSO HAVE A SNAP SEWN ON EITHER END. BROWN CUFFS AND COLLAR (APPEAR TO BE VELVET), 2 BUTTONS ON CUFF. METALLIC SILVER & GREEN COLLAR BADGES. GREEN FELT UNDER COLLAR. BROWN, SILVER, GREEN SHOULDER EPAULETS ATTACHED BY A SILVER BUTTON, SELF-FABRIC LOOP. 2 SILVER INSIGNIA (INDICATING THE EQUIVALENT RANK OF 2ND LIEUTENANT) ATTACHED TO BOTH EPAULETS. 2 LEFT INSIDE POCKETS. GREEN LINING, SLEEVE LINING BLACK/WHITE (DIRTY) STRIPED RAYON. BACK SLIT VENT, 4 BUTTONS. 2 THREAD LOOPS (2 MISSING) SEWN ABOVE LEFT POCKET. 2 COLLAR HOOK & EYES (AT FRONT EDGES). SELF-FABRIC LEFT SLEEVE INSIGNIA DEPICTING A GREEN EMBROIDERED EAGLE PERCHED ON A WREATH ENCIRCLING A BLACK EMBROIDERED SWASTIKA. CAP BADGE FOUND IN BREAST POCKET. BADGE IS THIN COPPER; CONSISTS OF AN OVULAR WREATH WITH A SMALLER WREATH AT THE BOTTOM. WITHIN SMALLER WREATH IS A SWASTIKA, AND ON TOP OF WREATH IS AN EAGLE WITH OUTSTRETCHED WINGS. BACKSIDE OF BADGE HAS 2 STRAIGHT PINS.

History: MR. BURNESS JOINED THE 4TH FIELD AMBULANCE AT THUNDER BAY & WAS LATER ATTACHED TO THE 1ST DIVISION, SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS (VANCOUVER) AS A MEDIC. HE SAW SERVICE IN ITALY, FRANCE & HOLLAND. WHILE IN HOLLAND DONOR ACQUIRED JACKET & OTHER ARTICLES AS WAR SOUVENIRS FROM THE GERMAN ARMY. JACKET IS A POLICE MUNICIPAL PIPED MEISTER TUNIC. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS, INCLUDING THOSE DONATED BY JAMES BURNESS. ACCORDING TO HIS LETHBRIDGE HERALD OBITUARY, THE DONOR, "JAMES (JIM) NICOL BURNESS OF LETHBRIDGE, PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON FEBRUARY 16, 2005 AT THE AGE OF 86. JIM, THE BELOVED HUSBAND OF ANN BURNESS (NEE YANOTA), WAS BORN MAY 11, 1918 IN LETHBRIDGE. A DESCENDANT OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA PIONEERS, JIM GREW UP AND RECEIVED HIS EDUCATION IN BURDETT, ALBERTA AND AT THE AGE OF 24 ENLISTED IN THE CANADIAN ARMY, WHERE HE SERVED PROUDLY AS A STRETCHER-BEARER WITH THE INFANTRY IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN OF WORLD WAR TWO. AFTER THE WAR HE WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION FOR TEN YEARS IN BANFF AND LETHBRIDGE. IN 1949 HE MARRIED ANN YANOTA OF BLAIRMORE AND THEY SETTLED IN LETHBRIDGE. THEY BUILT THEIR OWN HOME, ONE IN WHICH THEY LIVED FOR OVER 50 YEARS. JIM COMPLETED A 24-YEAR CAREER WITH THE POST OFFICE, HELPING REVITALIZE THE POSTAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION... HE WAS A MEMBER OF ROTARY, KINSMEN, SHRINERS, SCOTTISH RITE, AND THE LETHBRIDGE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB." SEE PERMANENT RECORD P19860042001 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.